Bored on Your Commute? This Vending Machine Dispenses Short Stories

In Grenoble, Free Fiction Prints Out on Receipts

By Alexandra Jardine.Published on Nov 13, 2015

Editor's Pick

The creative streak around vending machines seems unstoppable. Recently The Guardian reported that French publisher Short Editions has created eight vending machines in the city of Grenoble that dispsense out short stories to bored commuters. People can choose between one minute, three minutes and five minutes of fiction, and simply press a button for the story to print (for free) on rolls of paper like a cash register receipt.

According to The Guardian, the publisher hopes the stories will be used to fill the "dead time" of a commute, "in a society where daily lives are moving quicker and quicker and where time is becoming precious."